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BonzaiToons (TV channel)
BonzaiToons Network '''(shortened to '''BonzaiToons on-air) is an American digital cable and satellite television channel owned by the BritCan Communications Cable Entertainment Group division of BritCan Communications, itself owned by Kandanal Entertainment. Marketed as a "global animation hub" for "awesome cartoon fans",1 the channel broadcasts original animated series from sister channel Bonzai Network, along with other original series, some feature films, and foreign animated programs from international producers 24-hours a day. Launched in 2001 as a spin-off of a program block on parent channel Bonzai Network featuring classic and modern series, its relaunch as Bonzai Network Too in October 2014 revamped the schedule with a new emphasis on family viewing. In Spring 2017, Bonzai Too's format was revamped again, now focusing on original and foreign cartoons. On October 27, 2017, BritCan announced that Bonzai Too would relaunch once more as the BonzaiToons Network in early 2018.2 As of January 2016, BonzaiToons is available to approximately 76.5 million American pay television households. History As Bonzai+ (2000-14) On June 5, 2000, Bonzai Network introduced a daytime lineup of classical programming, through license agreements with Classic Media (now known as DreamWorks Classics). The block was heavily supplied by the company's properties, including the Harvey Entertainment catalog, which included all productions produced by Famous Studios and Filmation. Originally titled Bonzai Classics, the block later became Bonzai+ and switched its philosophy to reruns of older Bonzai programming, as well as maintaining classical series. Due to the block's sporadic airtime, as well as Bonzai's continuing growth in more modern, original programming, Bonzai+ was soon converted to a 24-hour digital cable network, on October 1, 2001. At the time of its launch, Bonzai+ was only carried by the Inverness, Colorado-based satellite provider EchoStar, and so was marketed as commercial-free. Program continuity featured promotions for Bonzai Network and Bonzai+ programming, occasional advertising for DVD products from Aquasphere Home Entertainment (which began airing in late 2009 following Kandanal Entertainment's purchase of BritCan), and two-minute cartoon interstitials. This format lasted until 2005, in which traditional advertising began airing. On October 3, 2005, the Bonzai+ block, which had entered an automated loop and was cut down to two hours, was removed from Bonzai Network in favor for a lineup of newer series known as Daytime Bonzai. All programs that were inside the block, as well as some Bonzai Network programs, were moved over to the Bonzai+ channel. First relaunch: as Bonzai Network Too (2014-18) Entering the 2010s decade, Bonzai Network had a sudden boom in ratings due to a resurgence of series that boosted the network's popularity, while Bonzai+'s viewership was drastically down 87% from 2005. the channel went through a significant channel drift in May and June of 2014, adding a surprising number of newer animated and live-action programs. On August 28, 2014, following reports earlier in the year that BritCan-operated children's networks would be realigned later in the year under the Bonzai brand, and due to the company wanting to hopefully create a new audience, BritCan officially announced that Bonzai+ would relaunch as Bonzai Network Too '''in the fall. President of BritCan's Kids and Family division Hanshiro Aino said in a September interview that the re-launch would "introduce a greatly increased emphasis on an explicit family-friendly approach, in hope that Too could become a secondary flagship on par with the mainstream Bonzai Network". On October 6, 2014 at 6:00 a.m. ET, Bonzai+ was officially relaunched as Bonzai Network Too; the third and final channel to re-brand after BNX (which re-branded as '''Bonzai XTRM on May 5, 2014) and BonBon (which re-branded as Bonzai Jr. on September 12, 2014). The new channel's slate included a number of acquisitions, ranging from pre-2000 syndicated series to newer series from the 2010 era and beyond, all geared towards children and their families in the same manner as parent channel Bonzai. This format, while gaining a considerable amount of new viewership, wouldn't even last half a decade. Just two months after the change in direction, ratings decreased more by 37% Dish Network dropped the channel on December 28, 2014, stating that the network's series were duplicative of those on Bonzai Network; a common excuse used by the company for other channels such as the now-defunct Cloo. BritCan and Dish later reached an agreement in principle, and Bonzai Too was later restored on January 14, 2015. During 2017, most of Bonzai Too's programming was dropped in favor of more animated programs. By March 13, 2017, around 77% of the schedule was comprised of series in the genre, and by then was a focal part of the channel. At a Spring BritCan Communications' upfront, it was announced that Bonzai Too would be reformatted as a "global animation hub" to compete with fellow channels in the genre, such as Viacom's Nicktoons. This new schedule was introduced on May 29, 2017, featuring a slew of foreign cartoons that had ratings up by 257% from the previous year. Second relaunch: as BonzaiToons (2018-) On October 27, 2017, various sources associated with BritCan announced that Bonzai Network Too and its respective media brands will be relaunched once more as the BonzaiToons Network. The relaunched channel will continue to emphasize its role as a "reliable destination for timeless animated programming" from Bonzai Network and other producers from around the world, but with an emphasis on growing into its own brand and entity and family-viewing. BritCan Communications Global Entertainment Networks, the international division of BritCan Communications, began launching and re-branding dedicated BonzaiToons channels in various international territories weeks before the U.S., such as France and Africa, which launched on January 1 and 15 respectively. The new channel went live on Monday, January 29, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. ET, beginning with a 72-hour marathon of the Bonzai Network animated series Flubber,'' in anticipation of the Season 3 premiere on February 10. The channel later kicked-off its inaugural schedule on February 1. On-air identity/bumpers During the relaunch as Bonzai Network Too, a new on-air appearance was launched, both used in promotional purposes (during the pre-launch, when Bonzai Too was still known as Bonzai+) and after the relaunch. Developed by Le Cube, the look was designed to be more "fluid" in style using various CYMK colors to create a colorful environment. With its shift towards animation, Bonzai Too began adapting a branding similar in style to the Nicktoons "Animation Capital of the World" brand, albeit with sleeker graphics, a color palette including different shades of blue, red, yellow, and purple, and the "Fishfingers" comic font. BonzaiToons features a similar branding package, but more complex in color variety and designs. Programming ''Main article: List of programs broadcast by BonzaiToons The majority of BonzaiToons' current schedule is comprised of every currently existing animated series from sister channel Bonzai Network such as Danny Dog, Flubber, ''and ''Sir Chuckleton and Pals, as well as acquired programming from other studios, which as of the rebrand includes includes Danger Mouse, Turning Mecard, Numb Chucks, and Zig and Zag. Programming blocks Current programming blocks * Saturday FunDay - Formerly known as the "Comedy Calamity Club" in 2016 and as the "Bonzai Too Comedy Block" from March to November 2017, this daytime block currently features episodes of its popular animated series, which usually airs on Saturday from 10:00 a.m.—1:30 p.m. Eastern Time; repeats are held from 11:00 a.m.—2:30 p.m. on weekdays. As of November 2017, its lineup includes Dan Vs., Zig and Zag, Rocket Monkeys, Rabbids Invasion, Flubber, and Danny Dog. * New Toon Tuesdays - The network's Tuesday premiere block, which launched during the summer of 2016. It currently runs from 5:00–7:00 p.m. Eastern Time with an encore immediately after. Seasonal programming blocks * ''The April Fool with Sir Chuckleton ''-''' 'This block, in observance of April Fools' day, is hosted by the fictional character Sir Chuckleton from the titular series, and features rolling 2-hour blocks of April Fools-themed programming. Throughout each episode, Sir Chuckleton occasionally pops out of the corner of the screen and uses his "Mess-o-Meter" to interrupt the episode in many absurd ways (rewinding it, fast forwarding it, making certain things glitch madly) and is also featured in 2-minute shorts pranking certain people who work at the real-world Bonzai Network Studios. References 1. "About BonzaiToons". ''bonzaitoons.tv/us 2. "Bonzai Network Too To Rebrand as BonzaiToons Network in Early 2018" (Press release). BritCan Communications. October 27, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017 - via The New York Times. Category:TV Channels Category:BritCan Communications Category:BonzaiToons Network